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Public service is the cornerstone of strong communities. Our firm has its own rich history of public service, which began with founding partner John W. Bricker, a former Ohio Governor and U.S. Senator. This rare foundation gives us long-established insight into the public sector. Today, we continue to provide political subdivisions and governmental agencies with the legal support needed to keep our communities running smoothly.

Bricker & Eckler is recognized by the state and its various political subdivisions, as well as by the underwriting community, as a law firm with a national caliber bond counsel opinion. We excel in both routine and complex financial transactions, including bonds, notes and certificates of indebtedness issued by government or on behalf of all types of nonprofits. Our list of clients continues to grow based on the favorable recommendations of the many public officials we have represented. Visit our Public Finance practice.

Education Law

We represent an extensive range of public sector clients, including well over 200 public school districts and numerous educational service centers statewide. As the single largest legal group in Ohio dedicated specifically to education, Bricker’s education attorneys bring hundreds of years of combined experience to the table. Education clients benefit from an unmatchable breadth of services, yet receive personalized advice that uniquely addresses their needs. Visit our Education Law practice.

Economic Development

Several financing tools are available to help public entities jumpstart economic growth. We work with governments to acquire the resources they need to create and maintain jobs through special programs established by Ohio law. Tax increment financing and joint economic development districts are just a few of our specialties; we’ve worked with numerous cities, counties, villages and more to find creative and realistic funding options. Visit our Economic Development practice.

Construction Law

Bricker & Eckler provides a full range of construction law services to public owners. Many with engineering and construction management backgrounds, our attorneys act as counsel on all aspects of construction projects and have specialized knowledge of the project requirements of schools, libraries, jails, recreation centers, and other public capital projects of all sizes and complexities. Visit our Construction Law practice.

Government Relations

Our skilled Government Relations team connects political subdivisions and governmental agencies to the legislative, administrative and regulatory opportunities that support their goals. Our attorneys use firsthand knowledge of complex election, ethics, lobbying and contracting law to build productive relationships with officials and advocate on behalf of clients’ public policy interests. Visit our Government Relations practice.

Employment & Labor

Whether supporting a small municipality or a regional public hospital system, our attorneys are committed to providing the insightful employment advice and successful representation for which we are known. By educating our public sector clients, anticipating complications, and assisting them in preventative measures, we are able to help them maintain a flexible employment operation. Visit our Employment & Labor practice.

Taxation

Bricker & Eckler’s public sector partners have access to comprehensive services related to all aspects of federal, state and local taxation. From tax valuation to tax abatement, as well as the tax implications of economic development projects and financings, our attorneys help public sector clients navigate the complexities of ever-changing tax law. Visit our Taxation practice.

Experience

$1.6 billion development in Warren County

Served as special counsel to a township in connection with a 1,230-acre, $1.6 billion mixed-use development in southwest Ohio. The transaction involved negotiating and structuring a tax increment financing (TIF) program with 22 incentive districts and 8 parcel TIFs, and the establishment of a new community authority to finance the infrastructure necessary to make the development possible.

Assisted the Capital Crossroads Special Improvement District with structuring and creating a process for implementing a program to encourage 43,000 downtown Columbus, Ohio, commuters to bus to work. Capital Crossroads SID is an organization that represents business owners working to keep the downtown area a clean and safe place to work and live. The goals of the bus pass program are threefold: address the limited downtown parking situation, fill vacant offices and improve air quality.

Represented the City of Dayton in an $80 million private commercial and residential development at Water Street. This development involved the use of TIF and special assessment financing to pay the costs of a 400-unit parking garage and related road improvements.

Represented the Chief Justice, the lead Disciplinary Counsel and the Director of the Board of Professional Conduct in defending the constitutionality of Ohio’s Code of Judicial Conduct against First and Fourteenth Amendment challenges. Representation included successful merits briefs in the Southern District of Ohio and the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals.

Advised a city regarding project delivery methods newly available to Ohio public entities for its new public services facility project. Created a streamlined procurement process for a design-build project, pursuant to the city’s Amended Charter and Codified Ordinances, and prepared the request for proposals and contract documents for the project.

Provided analysis and guidance to business leaders and executives regarding conflicts of interest and other public sector ethical issues that arise when they accept public board or commission appointments.

Helped a real estate developer refinance and upgrade its office park partially to improve energy efficiency by working with the developer to levy PACE special assessments, secure a PACE loan with the special assessments and pass the obligation through to tenants.

Represented governmental hospital and acted as borrower's counsel in $25 million hospital revenue bond financing, successfully negotiating a unique provision that permitted the hospital to convert to private nonprofit status in the future without having to obtain the consent of the bondholders.

Negotiated the turnover of a major manufacturing and high-tech repair facility on a U.S. Air Force Base to a newly created port authority. The project facilitated the privatization-in-place of that facility and the retention of jobs. We assisted with leasing additional build-to-suit space for other tenants and the expansion of the resulting port authority-owned industrial park to create additional development sites and jobs.